Mini Dental Implants in Indianapolis: Pros and Cons

Mini Dental Implants in Indianapolis: Pros and Cons

Mini dental implants in Indianapolis are a somewhat controversial topic among oral surgeons and other dental care professionals. As the name implies, mini dental implants are smaller in diameter than traditional dental implants. Originally, these smaller implants were used as temporary fixtures, often as part of orthodontic treatment or to hold a temporary denture while traditional dental implant restorations were underway. However, in recent years, a growing number of dental professionals are using them as permanent fixtures, placing them as the foundation for implant-based dental restorations. So what are the pros and cons of using mini implants?

MINI DENTAL IMPLANTS INDIANAPOLIS: THE PROS

Among the main advantages claimed by some dental professionals who use mini dental implants are less invasive dental implant placement surgeries, leading to lower surgical costs, shorter procedures and faster healing. A mini implant also costs less than a standard one. Some may say that final restorations can proceed more quickly but there is little long term evidence to support these claims. Additionally, since mini implants have a much smaller footprint in the jawbone, they can often be placed in patients with some degree of bone loss – primarily those who have seen a decrease in bone width – without the additional time and expense of bone grafting.

Mini dental implant companies often dentists on how to place these temporary implants over the course of a weekend session. Additionally, they are placed without the use of the advanced scanning and imagery that accompany the established use of conventional implants.

MINI DENTAL IMPLANTS INDIANAPOLIS: THE CONS

The use of mini dental implants as permanent fixtures is a fairly new practice, lacking the solid track record for reliable, long-lasting results that standard dental implants have earned. Mini implants must be placed with exceptional precision, complete with careful stress and load calculations, in order to tolerate the forces placed upon them during normal daily use. Even with perfect placement, their smaller diameter offers less strength and stability than is possible with standard implants. Placing mini implants in patients who have lost jawbone height generally isn’t advised, since doing so can lead to nerve or sinus damage. Additionally, replacing a molar, placing an implant-supported bridge or securing fixed or removable dentures may require a larger number of mini implants than would be necessary with standard ones, negating the cheaper-per-implant cost advantage.

It should be noted that Dr. Falender relies on evidence based treatments and procedures with a long history of successful and safe outcomes. For this reason he does not place mini dental implants.

While mini dental implants in Indianapolis may offer some advantage under certain, limited circumstances, many oral surgeons and other dental professionals are skeptical of their use in permanent dental restorations. They can cost less, in both material and surgical expenses, but cost isn’t everything. Unlike mini implants, standard dental implants have proven, over decades of use, to be an effective solution to tooth loss, producing reliable, long-lasting and attractive results. We’ve all heard the old saying – “you get what your pay for.” When it comes to implant-based dental restorations, that saying is quite likely to ring true.